Fire-escape



UNITEE STATES "PATENT OFFICE. f'

ANDREW R. MOORE, OE CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIPIGATION forming part afnemers PatemNo. 376,807,- aatea January' 24, 188e.

Application filed February 17, 1587. Serial N o. 227,971. (No model.)

city of Charlotte, in the c ounty of Eaton and:

State of Michigan,-have invented `new* and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

. in raising the foldingrack.

' My invention relates to improvements `in fire-escapes 1n which a rotary folding rack is used for holsting the ladder, pivotally secured to a platform and mounted upon wheels, and v vthe objects of my improvements are, first, to

provide a ready and easy exit from the roof or wlndows of a building in case of re, second, to facilitate the raising of laddersin case of emergency; third, to readily adjust the ladder to any desirable height. -I attainthese objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in .which- Figure' l is a detailed View in perspective of the entire machine as mounted on a truck or wagon. Fig. 2 is a front View of the pulleys and rope, showing the preferabledevice used Fig. 8 is a rear view of the folding rack. Fig. 4 is the turning table. Fig. 5 is a viewfof .the roller, Fig.

6 is the platform. Fig. 7 is a bolt and wash'-v ers. Fig. Sis a numbered brad. Fig. 9 is a looped staple. Fig. l0 is a sliding block. Fig.

Fig. 12 is a key, and Fig. 13is a mounting on trucks or a wagon, and wide enough to extend tothe ends of the turning table B. In the center of the platform A, Fig. 6, is bolted the iron circle p, to facilitate turning the rotating table B and in the center of the circle p a hole, q, is bored, through which the bolt passes for holding on the turn-table B, and 'around which the turn-table B turns. The staples m m m m are driven into the platform A at a proper position to hold the hooks c c of the turn-table B, so that when the turntable B is turned in any position it may be .rigidlyfsecured to the platform A byrhooking the hooks c c into the staples m m `m m. The

platform A has a ring and staple, T, in each corner, to which a guy-rope may be tied in case the trucks are found to tip.

is a hole, o', through which a bolt passes,

The turn-table B is also constructed of good lsubstantial* planks, and in the center ofwhicyh which forms the pivotal point around which y the rotating tableB turns. To each end of they v turntable Bis fastened a spool, H, forv receivingY the guy-rope D Awhen the rack S is closed.

VThe turn-table B is provided Vwith hooks c c,

which hook into the staples mm m m of the platform A.

Thecase Gis made of plain boards nailed i onto the frame d d d d and y g g g, Figs. 2and 3, and is yfastened onto the turntable `B by means of twoV hinges, r non the back lowerv edge, Fig. 4. The rod P connects the case Cf one end to the turn-tableB and passes -up to the lever N. The lever N is connected at case C may be operated backward and forward l by one lever N, or, if desired, another jack, k,

may be bolted to the other side of the turntable and a lever N used on `both sides of the case C. The case() is of anydesired width and height to admit the folding rack S. A frame for the case C is made out of scantling .of any desired size in thickness by first taking two bed-pieces, f t', and connecting them `by intermediate cross-pieces to form asuitable width pieces d d d d and g g gg, Figs. 2 and 3, aref erected and bolted at the bottom to the sillsff and 13 and at the top to the plat-este h. The two L center standards d d, Fig.'2,.support the pnlley-Wheel x and one end of the roller Z, while the center standards g g carry the slidingblock Uf The roller Zis provided with a crank and Thefolding rack S is constructed of slats s s s, of any suitable thickness having sufficientI strength to lift lthe upper ones. lTherel will be no need of using heavy wood for the slats s s s s, as the. strain will come upon thel bolts which hold the slats'together, instead of A,

upon the slats themselves. length of slats can, be used, but as a convenient size for 4building a rack to lopenfrom Any particular roo l seventy-five to one hundred feet high the first piece after thetwo bottom pieces `should-be piece four inches shorter, as shown in Fig. 3,

' about eight feet long, and each next succeeding,

so l `forthe case C. Upon this base the upright f Y and of one and one-half inch thick. The slats are made of unequal length, in order to procure a greater lifting-powerand rapidity in movement. Eachslathasaholeboredthrough its center and one at each end. On the top of the folding rack is the clasp G, made of iron, bolted in the center. Each part of the clasp has a hole in the lower end for bolting onto the top of the short slats n n on top of the folding rack, as shown in Fig. 3. The looped sta-ple L is constructed of two pieces of iron bent outward in the center and connected at t-he ends. Each end has a ring into which the rope V may be tied. In the center are holes for admitting a bolt. This looped staple L may be used in the place of a ring-bolt in holding 'the two bottom slats S S together by placing the slats S S through the opening between the iron sides'of the looped staple L and having the slats S S cross each other.

Then the rope V, tied into the rings at each end of the staple L, will draw the staple L up and down by winding and unwinding the rope V around the roller Z. The looped staple L, standing perpendicular, is thus made to serve the purpose of a double clevis, by means of which the two bottom slats S S', Fig. 2, are held together at their center at Q by passing an ordinary bolt through the holes in the sides of the looped staple L and the slats S" S crossing each other, as just described, between the sides of the looped staple L. One endvof the rope V, running up over the pulley x, is tied in the top ring of the looped staple L, and the end of the rope running downward is tied into the lower ring of the looped staple L.

The sliding block U moves between the two center standards g g. (Shown in the rear view of the folding rack S, Fig. 3.)

Two rollers, Z Z, are placed in each side of the block U to prevent friction, and a hole is bored through the center for a bolt. The jack k is made of iron, with a footing to bolt it onto the turning table B. The circular or crowning part of the jack k is split, so as to allow the v lever N to pass down through between the sides and hook into a staple between the footings, as shown in Fig. 4.

Holes are drilled through the circular part of the jack 7c for the pino to block' the lever N. The roller J is a wooden cylinder mounted on the frame K K, with a crank, L', at one end for turning the roller J, around which theladderE is wound. Any kind of a ladder, either rigid or flexible, may be used; but the most preferable is a rope ladder, E, or a common ladder, which is not shown in the drawings. A rope ladder, E, is light, easy to handle, and does not catch the wind, and is the most preferable, as a wooden ladder is heavy and a canvas ladder is difficult and uncertain to handle in a wind-storm. When a ropeladder is used, a brad, @attached at intervals of one foot or more apart, may be used to indicate the height to which the ladder is raised. On one end of the ladder E is tied the hooked bail F, made of iron and having a cross-piece in the :centen The sides of the bail F extend far enough in the rear to make weight enough to keep the hooks elevated,so as to be readily hooked over window-sills, firewalls, or beams. Near the top of the folding rack S are attached two guyropes, D D, suspended loosely therefrom and extending to the ground to assistin steadying the top ofthe folding rack S in case of Windstornis or when the trucksv set unevenly upon the ground.

In constructing my device I first mount the platform Aupon trucks,which form a carriage and a convenient means of moving the fireescape from one place to another. Ithen bolt the jack 7c onto the turn-table B' by passing bolts through the holes in the-feet x If found more desirable, a hook, a, attached to the lever N, may be used with a ratchet-wheel, o, as shown in Fig. 1, instead ot the jack Ir, since the object sought to be accomplished is to provide a brake for the lever N. I next bolt the turn-table B to the platform A by a bolt, z, passing through the hole o in the center of the turn-table B and through the holeq in the platform A. The bolt z, (see Fig. 7,) thus passing through the hole o and q of the turn-table B and the platform A, forms a pivotal point around which turns the turn-table B. To each end of the turn-table B are secured the spools H and H', suppressed by means of braces extending from the edges far enough to admit of a crank for turning the spool H. Upon these spools H and H are wound the guy-ropes D and D when the fold- IOC) ing rack S is closed. To'the bedpiecesf of the frame, within the case C, I bolt the two short bottom slats j j at e' e, and place the short slats jj across each other dsconnectedly under the roller` Z. To the top ends of the slats j j are bolted the bot-tom ends of thelong bottom slats S S, also crossing each other Within the looped staple L. The sliding block U is then placed behind the crossing and the center of the two bottom slats SS, and a bolt, z, is placed through the sliding block U, the looped staple L, and the slats S'S.

The folding rack may also be operated without the looped staple and the sliding block U by simply placing a bolt, Q, having a ring in one end, into which the hoistingrope V may be tied, through the bottom slats S S. The folding rack is then completed by bolting each alternate slat sA at its lower end to the next lower slat sand crossing each other, with a bolt, z, passing through their center, until any desired height is attained.

On the top two half-slats, n n', are bolted, with the apex terminating in the folding clasp G. Washers are used on each end of the bolt z used in the centers and ends of the slats s s. I now bolt the pulley-wheel a: to one of the standards d of the frame within 'the case C up high enough to allow the slats s s to rise nearly perpendicularly. This pulley-wheel :cis bolted to only one of the standards, so that the slats nol . 376,807 y s Y -i 3 s s` will pass up and down between the pulleywheel x andthe back standardsg g within the A case C, as shown in Fig/2.

Near the bed-piecesf ,and to'the 'standards d @standing opposite each other, I bolt the roller Z, constructed either of wood or iron. I neXt tie the center of the rope Vto they ring Q in the bolt holding the center of the two bottom slats S S securely, so as not, to draw through without raising or lowering the center of the slats s s.' Then I place one end of the rope V up over the pulley-wheel m and bring it down obliquely over the rear of the roller Z, giving ,it several wraps around the roller Z, and secure the end with a staple, b

around the roller Z the same and tied into staples b b, welded to the roller. To the'end' of the roller `Z is attached acrank, M. rIhe frame e d h gis then covered with boards, giving it the appearance of the case C. The case O is then fastened to the turning table B byineans of the hinges r r, bolted to one of the lower y edges of the case Gand the turn-table Bin such a manner as toadniit the case C to tur`n backward and forward on the turn-table B. IA

. next attach the case C to the lever N by means of the rod P, which lever N is fastened at its lower end to the turn-table` B. Upon the for, ward end of the platform A,I fasten the roller J by means of the hooks s s'. Around the roller J is wound the ladder E, with the bailpiece hooked into the clasp G on the `top ofthe folding rack S.

In operating my device I turn the rotating table B,with the case C attached, so as to throw Vthe ladder in lany desired direction and hook it fast to the platform A' by means of the hooks c cinto the staples m m. I next take hold of the crank M,and by turning raise the rack S, thereby folding the. slats. perpendicularly together to any desired height. A ratchet-wheel may be used under the crank M on the outside of the case C, if .there is found a tendency'of the rack S closing when in a perpendicular position.' The guy-ropes D D are now taken hold of, and by moving the 'le'- ver N backward or forward the rack S'is lowered to any angle and the pin o is placed through the jack la in front of the lever N,and holds the rack S inl a permanent position.

' When theproper distance and position of the vrack S is found to correspond with the window or iirewalhthen theV rack Sis moved forward bythe lever N and -dropped by the crank-Mv at the same time, thereby hooking the bail F into thewindow or-upon the building. a The v roller J, carrying the iieXible ladder E, may' be detached readily from the wagon and taken to any desired -spot for unwinding-the ladder. Also,after placing up one ladder, the machine may be taken away and put up another, as`

no limit is placed upon they number of ladders used, and-each wagon ought to have at least a yrope ladder and a canvas ladder. The canvas ladder can be used for lowering or sliding down effects, a convenient mode of n making which willk be about four feet wide with a rope sewed along each side,permitting it to sag in the center, and which. can be used fora chute or slide.

Having thus described my invent1on,what I claim as new, and desire .to secure by Letters Patent, is

, 1. In re-escapes,the folding rack for hoistn ing thelladderpperated by al rope and pulley and roller, in combination with the oscillatying case mounted upon a rotating table boltedv to the platform, substantially as set forth and described.

2. In reescapes, the folding rack made of slats bolted 'in the center and ends and at-A l tachedbelo w to an oscillating case and terminate ing on the'top in a clasp for carrying one end I' of a ladder and hinged at the bottom toa rov tating table bolted pivotally at its center to a mounted platform, substantially as set` forth and described.

3. In `tire-escapes, the folding rack bolted at its lower end Vto an oscillating case, which in turn is bolted to a turning table having a spool on each edge and a lever for oscillating l the case containing the rack, in combination..

with a platform to whichthe turning table is bolted, substantially as set forth anddescribed.

4. Indre-escapes, the folding rack having two'guy-ropes attached near its top, bolted to acase attached to a rotating table pivotally connected to a platform, in combination with a ladder, substantially as set 'forth and described. y

ANDREW R. MOORE.

i Witnesses: y

J. D. PARKHURsT, O. BURCHFIELD. 

